JAPANESE CITY READY TO OFFER ITS "TRADITION AND CULTURE"

In a "marked contrast to the garish commercial scene"
in Atlanta, in Nagano, "other than the colorful assortment
of Olympic flags dangling from light poles, there are
virtually no advertisements on display," according to
Shipley & Sullivan of the WASHINGTON POST. Japan "intends
to display its unique traditions and culture in a tasteful
setting" during the Games (WASHINGTON POST, 2/1).
IS NAGANO READY? In an interview with NEWSWEEK, NAOC
Dir General Makoto Kobayashi said, "I have no concerns. We
are ready." Kobayashi, asked if he would ever take the Dir
General job again: "No, no, never. I would turn it down"
(NEWSWEEK, 2/9 issue). IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch
called the Nagano Main Press Center "one of the best I've
ever seen in my life" (KYODO NEWS, 1/29). In Toronto,
William Houston, on the media's set-up: "Broadcasters are
raving about the facilities. ... Networks' needs and request
were met. Everything works" (GLOBE & MAIL, 1/31). In
Montreal, Jack Todd: "A week before the start of the Nagano
Games, things are already running better then they did in
Atlanta at the time of the closing ceremonies. The phones
work. The computers work" (Montreal GAZETTE, 1/31).
NOTES: Traffic in Nagano remains a concern for
organizers (KYODO NEWS, 2/2)....The IOC reports that
sponsorship for the Nagano Games totals $212M, or 27% of the
overall $780M revenue (AP/PHILA. INQUIRER, 1/31).
SPONSOR SUPPORT: BUSINESS WEEK features a "Special
Report" on the Olympic Games and Neff, Echikson et. al.
write that "most corporate sponsors profess great
satisfaction with their Olympic connection." TOP sponsor
John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance was soured over the
commercialism in Atlanta, but President David D'Alessandro
said, "Both the Japanese and the Australians have gone out
of their way to learn the lessons of Atlanta." BUSINESS
WEEK adds, "Despite the risks, the number of sponsors-in-
waiting and communities eager to play host is growing"
(BUSINESS WEEK, 2/9)....The WALL STREET JOURNAL's Raju
Narisetti profiles IBM's Nagano program, as the company will
end up spending about $100M for the 17-day event and looks
to bounce back from the "black eye" it suffered in Atlanta.
Ogilvy & Mather will create 10 TV spots that tie IBM's role
to athletes in the games (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 2/2).
WILL PEACOCK LIE LOW? CNBC's Jerry Cobb: "Some say NBC
is trying especially hard not to compete for the Olympic
audience in order to help CBS score high ratings. Those
numbers could be of big help for NBC when it sells ad time
for its broadcast of the Winter Games in 2002." TV Guide's
Max Robins: "I don't think there's some kind of grassy knoll
conspiracy going on here, that they're just going to roll
over and play dead so that they can do well with the Winter
Games next time around" ("The Edge," CNBC, 1/30).
POINT, CLICK AND SCORE? AD AGE examines Web tie-ins to
the Nagano Games. CBS SportsLine is spearheading "one of
the largest online efforts," and among sponsors of its
Olympic coverage are A-B, AT&T, Bugle Boy Industries, Ford
Motor, IBM, Shell Oil, Visa USA, Xerox and Sony. SportsLine
would not reveal the cost of its sponsorship, but "it's
believed that they're in line with the price of its ad
banners, which sell for $35 per thousand impressions."
While not spending on Web advertising during the Games, Nike
will focus its Olympic coverage on Nikebiz.com site where it
will offer athlete information (AD AGE, 2/3 issue).